, 1887-01-01

in the shortest possible interval and on the
largest scale; so hat the English coast,
which on the evening Of any day saw not a
mast, may next morning discover q hostile
fleet at anchor and busy landing its troops"
In succession the author next examines the
position IN regard to our distant colonies, our
harbours in the Atlantic, the situation as af-
fected by the Panama Canal-about which he
p%rophesies a severer struggle than has been
occasioned by the Suez Canal, "and the last
word with regard to it has not yet been
spoken'-the Mediterranean, and the Indian
Ocean. Everywhere the writer sees Eng
lands power threatened, her defences and
preparations insufficient. In Central Asia he
appears to think Great Britain should have
advanced to Gust Russia, and he holds as ode
lusiye the hope that Afghanistan can serve as
a bulwark for India "The strategic posi-
tions now are Ghuzni and Kandahar, which
are for Hindostan what Metz and Strasburg
are for Germany" Meanwhile. if the Bolan
Pass, the rubicon of midas future, be forth
fed according to the rules of defensive scis
ence, and Peshawur raised to a frst-class mil
itary position, the Russians will be absolutely
unable IN that direction to make their way
into India through some Of the longest and
most difficult passes IN the world. On the
other hand, England must not wait for Rus
STA to appear in the Indies.
With regard tothe British fleet Major Wachs
considers that its relative power has been
weakened by the Development of the mari
time power of other nations, by the introduce
ton Of torpedoes, and by the complete change
in the conditions Of naval warfare. The old
skill and daring Of the British tar will not
avail how that everything is scientific and
men-of-war are huge machines. He points
to the recent declarations of French admirals
and Ministers to show that they are %straining
every nerve in order to be equal to Great Bril-
tain on the seas. But if there are possible
and comparative defects Of the fleet, the army
is ridiculously insufficient. It's numbers are
small, and the technical training of it's officers
far below the German ideal. Is the Albion of
to-day, the writer asks, the Albion of Crecy,
Agincourt, Trafalgar, and Aboukir? - the
same Britain as that which against the in
vincible Armada preserved it's own and
Europe's religious liberty? the same England
us that in Which at the beginning Of the
century Freedom found her last refuge? Is
the nation the same at that whose "Iron
Duke Joined in brotherhood of arms with
Marshal Norwarts at Waterloo, and gave the
final and annihilating blow to the French con-
queror2 Major Wachs opines that the ma.
ton is the same, but is unwilling to make the
sacrifice which the times demand When
England r~ealises the consciousness that she
must arm like the rest of Europe, then she
will have nothing to fear in Europe or in Asia.
At a time when Russia and France are cast
ing M~ephistophelian glances at each other,
Germany must wish that England should
'even at the eleventh hour-for the II is
at hand-set her house in order" " ne
does not need to be a prophet, nor the SON If
a prophet, to see the handwriting on tt
wall" "The high tide Of Panslavism threat
ems England first, but in the day of need Ger
many will not hear in vain the alarm bell.
When all other bands are loosed those of
blood will remain" This note of danger from
Russia pervades Major Wach's work, and he
quite admits that it would require sharp eyes
and a benevolent disposition to find evidence
of goodwill to Germany in Russia. He parts
with his readers in the hope that England
and Germany may be firm aIlies-a hope in
which many will concur who do not quite ac-
cept the authors views as to Britian's military
and naval strength-Daily Telegraph.